Trivia Tuesday Tonight! - B&CC Outreach Event Coming Up - Support Meeting Next Week - Prostate Cancer Awareness Month -

[Commonwealth Cancer Association]

Trivia Tuesday Tonight! - August 23, 2011

It's that time again!  Come down to Trivia Tuesday tonight and every Tuesday night at Wild Bill's Bar & Grill in Garapan, starting at 7pm.  Admission is free, the fun is priceless.  Tonight we welcome back special guest Quizmaster George Hasselback, and we'll be giving away terrific raffle prizes including a facial spa from Serenity Salon, an eco-bag for breast cancer awareness, "Edge of Empire" about the German colonial period in the Northern Marianas (donated by the Humanities Council who just celebrated their 20th anniversary) and more!  Raffle tickets are $1 apiece, and all proceeds benefit the Commonwealth Cancer Association.

To donate a raffle prize, or for more information, call CCA at 682-0050 or email c...@ccamarianas.org .

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Newly-graduated CCA volunteers gear up for outreach event at Sabalu Market!

Last Saturday, August 13, 30 volunteers graduated from the Commonwealth Cancer Association's first-ever breast and cervical health outreach training program.  Funded through grants from the Honolulu-based Pacific Center of Excellence in the Elimination of Disparities (CEED) and the TakeCare Foundation, the program covered Cancer 101; Basics of Breast & Cervical Health; Nutrition, Physical Activity, & BMI; Navigating Resources and the Comprehensive Cancer Control Program; the Breast & Cervical Screening Program; Patient Privacy Rights; Health & Wellness as a Lifestyle; Outreach Strategies & Communication Skills; and Survivorship.  In addition to the training sessions, volunteers brainstormed and began developing a year-long outreach plan that will include materials and activities aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle, breast and cervical health awareness, and screenings for breast and cervical cancer.      

CCA's new breast and cervical outreach volunteers include:  Anna Liza Gallego, Benilda Natividad, Christine Marie Sanchez, DB Khadka, Dyenina Ruth Diaz, Ebenida Phillip, Frances Hofschneider, Giselle Butalid, Harris Enriquez, Hedwig Hofschneider, Hilma Castro, Viveka Rose Castro, Jean D'Lonsod, Joselito Lazaro, Katrina Demapan, Lorraine Catienza, Lucy Palacios, Mark Kevin Leomo, Naomi Benjamin, Nadia Benjamin, Nicole Benjamin Sablan, Normita Cabalbag, Rachelle Alturas, Shannon Hofschneider, Sunny Loma, Tapita Tebuteb, Victoria Guerrero, Victoria Syed, Rosita Waldron, and Margarita Torres Aldan.

Many thanks to our trainers: Dr. Jeanolivia Grant of the CHC Women's Clinic; Joanne Ogo, DPH Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Manager; Jocelyn Songsong, DPH Breast & Cervical Screening Program Manager; John Moreno, DPH Program Manager for HIV/STD Prevention; Hee Jae Lee, Registered Dietician; Greg Borja, NMPASI; Tom Thornburgh, NMPASI; Bobby Ayres, Patient Educator at CHC; Jina Rojas, Glimpses; Clarie Kosack; and Jean D'Lonsod.     

In addition to our hard-working and dynamic volunteers and trainers, we would like to thank the following supporters and contributors who made CCA's breast & cervical health project possible: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention; Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition; Department of Public Health; Fiesta Resort & Spa; Glimpses; Jack Hardy, Images Saipan; KZMI 103.9FM; Lucky R; Marianas Variety; NMC CREES, NCD Program; Pacific CEED; Power 99/Sorensen Media Group; Saipan City Taxi Association; Saipan Tribune; Subway; and TakeCare Foundation.

And last but not least - Save the date! CCA's first breast and cervical health outreach event is slated for September 3 at the Sabalu Market from 6am to 11am.  CCA breast and cervical health outreach volunteers, many of whom are also nurses, will be there in partnership with the Department of Public Health to provide free health screenings (blood pressure, blood sugar, and BMI), health education, and referrals for breast and/or cervical screenings or other services.  More details coming soon!  

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Survivor & Caregiver Support Meeting Next Week - August 31, 2011

All people facing cancer, including survivors, family members, and other caregivers, are invited to the next support meeting on Wednesday, August 31, 2011, at Fiesta Resort at 5:30pm.  This month's support meeting will feature a presentation by visiting physician Dr. Annette David, a tobacco control expert and research professor based on Guam, on the relationships between cancer, diabetes, and tobacco.  To RSVP or for more information, please contact the Commonwealth Cancer Association at 682-0050 or email c...@ccamarianas.org, or call the Comprehensive Cancer Control Program at 236-8728.  

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September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Prostate cancer is cancer of the prostate, a walnut-sized reproductive gland found only in men.  It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, second only to lung cancer in the number of cancer deaths.  Symptoms of prostate cancer vary from man to man, and some men do not have symptoms at all.  Some symptoms of prostate cancer include:

• difficulty urinating (difficulty starting; weak or interrupted flow; difficulty emptying the bladder completely; pain or burning sensation during urination)
• frequent urination, especially at night
• blood in the urine or semen
• pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that does not go away
• painful ejaculation   

Men with any of these symptoms should see a doctor right away.  Note:  these symptoms may be caused by conditions other than prostate cancer.

Men who are 50 years old or older, are African-American, or have a father, brother, or son who has had prostate cancer, are at greater risk of developing prostate cancer themselves.  As with many other types of cancer, it is not yet known what causes prostate cancer.  

Experts disagree about whether screening for prostate cancer actually saves lives, and there is currently not enough evidence to show that the potential benefits of prostate cancer screening outweigh the risks.  The potential benefit of screening is early detection; the potential risks include false positive test results, treatment for prostate cancer that may never affect a man's health, and side effects from treatment for prostate cancer.  The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention has developed a guide to help men make informed decisions about whether prostate screening is right for them.  To view the guide, click here:  Prostate Cancer Screening Decision Guide     

The Comprehensive Cancer Control Coalition is preparing a slate of activities to promote prostate cancer awareness in September.  Stay tuned for more details!  Contact Kim or Joanne at the CCC Program for more information, 236-8728.

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Thanks very much,

Tina Sablan

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Program Manager
Commonwealth Cancer Association
PO Box 7997 SVRB
Saipan, MP 96950
(670) 682-0050
(670) 285-3935
c...@ccamarianas.org
www.ccamarianas.org

Awareness ~ Education ~ Hope